The Sunday Crossword, Sunday 26 Feb 2017

ACROSS
1   Party in middle of tragedy following old-fashioned drill (6-7) SQUARE-BASHING {SQUARE}-{BASH}{IN}{traGedy}
9   Free revolutionary for example raised band (5) RIDGE {RID}{EG<=}
10 Repetitive song, after fashion, endlessly incisive (9) TRENCHANT {TRENd}{CHANT}
11 Number, by end of episode in yarn, endangered (10) THREATENED  {TEN}{e...dE} in {THREAD}
12 Solid mass behind tree (4) FIRM {FIR}{M}
14 Book with translation of woeful poem (7) BEOWULF {B}{WOEFUL}*
15 Relish, in south and north, energy in language (7) SLOVENE {S}{LOVE}{N}{E}
16 Understanding map they revised (7) EMPATHY*
18 Picture that is, around edge, not right (7) IMAGINE {I{MArGIN}E}
20 Studied colour in speech (4) READ (~red)
21 Total class trained regardless of expense (2,3,5) AT ALL COSTS*
24 Novel told one about man receiving benefit (2,3,4) ON THE DOLE {TOLD+ONE}* over {HE}
25 Stumble, beginning to explain nonsense (5) TRIPE {TRIP}{Ex...n}
26 Dance creator in job with reverse of average work ahead of her (13) CHOREOGRAPHER {CHORE}{GO<=}{PAR<=}{HER}

DOWN
1   Odds on rodent getting fish (5) SPRAT {SP}{RAT}

2   Open, admitting hesitation before good experience (7) UNDERGO {UND{ER}{G}O}
3   Turn up with answer, overdue, about university review (2-8) RE-EVALUATE {RE-EV<=}{A}{L{U}ATE}
4   Complete race, second last in event, restricted by poor swimming style (9,6) BUTTERFLY STROKE {B{UTTER}{FLY} {S}{evenT}ROKE}
5   Pest revels, being mistaken for film director (6,9) STEVEN SPIELBERG*
6   Distance covered by main character (4) INCH [T]
7   Stone jar containing nickel (7) GRANITE {GRA{NI}TE}
8   Politician in sedate broadcast in charge (8) STAMPEDE {MP} in {SEDATE}*
13 Number on course breaking through in province (4,6) NOVA SCOTIA {NO}{V{A SCOT}IA}
14 Insect with steady pace consuming old vegetable (8) BEETROOT {BEE}{TR{O}OT}
17 Insincere in company about wine (7) PLASTIC {PLC} about {ASTI}
19 One page on change missing tons in town (7) IPSWICH {1}{P}{SWItCH}
22 Promise small display (5) SWEAR {S}{WEAR}
23 Prohibition some have tolerated (4) VETO [T]

GRID